Detach and adjust clip audio

When a video clip carries sound, Sequence keeps that audio attached to the clip. You can split the audio onto its own timeline element to edit it independently, and you can set a clip's playback level, mute it, or animate the level over time — mostly from the inspector's Volume controls, with a keyboard shortcut and a right-click command for muting.

To detach a clip means to separate its audio into its own audio element on the timeline, so you can move, trim, or effect the sound apart from the picture.

The inspector's Volume module for a selected clip: the Detach audio button, the speaker mute toggle, and the volume slider with its keyframable percentage field.
The Volume module in the inspector's Audio tab.

Detach a clip's audio#

Detaching leaves the video clip in place and creates a new audio-only element for its sound. Any clip that carries an audio stream can be detached; audio-only elements and multicam clips can't.

  1. In Sequence, open the project and select the clip on the timeline.
  2. Do any of the following:
    • In the inspector's Volume module, click Detach audio. This button appears only when the selected clip has audio to detach.
    • Right-click the clip and choose Detach audio.
    • Press Option-D (Windows: Alt-D).

Sequence adds a separate audio element to the timeline. You can now select, move, and trim that audio on its own while the video clip keeps its picture.

Set a clip's volume#

  1. In Sequence, select the clip whose audio you want to adjust.
  2. In the inspector's Volume module, do either of the following:
    • Drag the volume slider to set the level.
    • Type a percentage into the field beside the slider.

The level is a percentage of the clip's original loudness: 100% is unchanged, values below it make the clip quieter, and you can boost up to 800% to amplify quiet source audio.

Note

Volume changes are shared with your collaborators as you make them, and they can be undone.

Mute a clip#

Muting silences a clip by dropping its level to 0%.

  1. In Sequence, select the clip you want to silence.
  2. Do any of the following:
    • In the inspector's Volume module, click the speaker icon.
    • Right-click the clip and choose Mute/Unmute.
    • Press Shift-M.

The clip's level drops to 0% and the speaker icon shows a muted speaker. Repeat any of these actions to restore the clip to full volume (100%).

The inspector's Volume module for a muted clip: the speaker icon shows a muted speaker and the volume field reads 0%.
A muted clip: the speaker shows muted and the level reads 0%.

Note

Shift-M and the right-click Mute/Unmute command act on every clip you have selected, so you can silence or restore several clips at once. Unmuting always returns a clip to 100%, not its previous level.

Animate the volume over time#

The volume field is keyframable, so you can fade a clip up or down instead of holding one level. It works the same as keyframing any other property.

  1. In Sequence, move the playhead to where you want the level set.
  2. In the Volume module, set the level with the slider or the field.
  3. Click the keyframe button on the volume field to add a keyframe at the playhead.
  4. Move the playhead to another point and set a new level to add the next keyframe.

Sequence interpolates the level between keyframes. To shape the fade curve, see Animate with the keyframe graph editor.

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